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America's top football league has no plans to drop Bad Bunny as the headline performer for the prestigious mid-game entertainment, League chief Roger Goodell stated on Wednesday.

In doing so, Goodell reaffirmed the choice to feature the Puerto Rican artist on the league’s biggest stage, a move that sparked criticism from the former president and his political base.

Goodell commented on the debate during his news conference following the annual fall owners meeting. This marks the first time he has publicly remarked on the appointment, which has garnered global interest, including a surge in online plays of the artist's catalog alongside backlash.

“It’s carefully thought through,” the commissioner remarked. “I doubt we have chosen an artist where we didn’t have pushback or disapproval. It’s pretty hard to do when you have truly countless viewers of people tuning in.”

The reggaeton star, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has been a outspoken critic of Trump. He lately opted to do a 31-day residency in Puerto Rico, avoiding stops in the mainland US, referencing concerns about the mass deportation of Latinos.

The artist, who sings in Spanish, is expected to do so at the Super Bowl.

“We believe it will deliver a great show,” Goodell said. “He understands the opportunity that he’s on, and in my view it will prove exciting and a unifying experience.”

The host team are hosting the Super Bowl on February 8 at the Santa Clara venue in Santa Clara, California. It is unclear if the former president plans to be there, though he has made physical attendance at major sporting events a significant part of his second term.

Trump during a discussion on right-leaning media the outlet claimed he had “never heard of” Bad Bunny.

“I don’t know who he is,” he stated. “I don’t know the reasoning behind it. It seems absurd. And then, they attribute it to some promoter they contracted to select entertainment. I think it’s completely unreasonable.”

The commissioner supported the decision this week, clarifying it was made because of the artist’s immense popularity.

“He ranks among the top and best-loved performers globally,” he said. “This is exactly what we aim to accomplish. It represents a crucial platform for us. It’s an important element to the overall experience.”